Edgard school math teacher recognized

Chantell Walker, a math teacher and school guidance counselor at West St. John High School in Edgard, was recently chosen as a Louisiana State University/Southern University Regional Collaborative Star Teacher.

Chantell Walker

Walker was nominated for the award by an LSU professor she works with for her advanced math dual-enrollment course.

Walker was recognized last month at the LSU Lod Cook Alumni Center, which was sponsored by the LSU/SU Regional Collaborative for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching.

Principal Eria Merrick said Walker is an exemplary teacher.

“Mrs. Walker is an excellent teacher who cares about her students,” Merrick said. “ She is always searching for new and better ways to help them learn. She encourages her students to rise to her high expectations, and they do.”

“Mrs. Walker has the reputation of being a no-nonsense teacher and her students know that when they enter her classroom, but they love being in her class,” Merrick said.

Walker has taught at West St. John High for the last four years. She transferred to St. John the Baptist Parish School System from St. James Parish, where she taught for 12 years.

Walker also was named St. John Parish’s high school teacher of the year in 2010.

Walker received a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Nicholls State University in 1992, certification in mathematics from Southern University in 1996, a master of arts degree in education administration and supervision from the University of Phoenix in 2007, and secondary counselor add-on in February 2010.

In addition to teaching math at West St. John High, she has taught math at the American Academy for Girls in Kuwait and has taught as an online high school math teacher for Louisiana Department of Education and Louisiana Virtual Schools.

Walker was named in “Who’s Who Among American Teachers” in 2000, 2004 and 2005.